12 Adapting OER

Being open enables educators to use the resource more effectively, which can lead to better learning and student outcomes. OER can be remixed and adapted: updated, tailored and improved locally to fit the needs of learners – translating the OER into a local language, adapting a biology open textbook to align it with local science standards, or modifying an OER simulation to make it accessible for a student who cannot hear.

The ideas of remix and adaptation are fundamental to education. Creative reuse of materials created by other educators and authors is about more than just seeking inspiration; we copy, adapt, and combine different materials to craft education resources for our learners.

When incorporating materials created by others and combining materials from different sources, there are copyright issues to be considered. Online digital education resources have different legal permissions that empower (or not) the public to use, remix and share those resources. Here are a few of those legal categories:

• Public domain works (not restricted by copyright) can be remixed with any work.
  • For example: Anyone can remix the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.
• All-rights-reserved copyrighted works, available for free online, which you can only use under the project terms of service, or using an exception or limitation to copyright, such as fair use or fair dealing.
  • For example: many MOOCs allow free reuse of their content, but do not allow copying, revise, remix, or redistribution.
• All-rights-reserved copyrighted works in closed formats and CC BY-ND licensed work do not allow the public to remix or adapt and share the work.
  • For example: a blockbuster movie available only in streaming service that you cannot use or even link to.
• Creative Commons licensed works (and other free licenses) that have various permissions and restrictions.
  • For example: Wikipedia (BY-SA) allows you to reuse their content for commercial purposes, while WikiHow (BY-NC-SA) does not. A Wikipedia article cannot be remixed with a WikiHow article.

Use the chart below if you want to know which CC licensed works can be remixed with other CC licensed works.  Where there is a green check at the intersection of two CC licensed works, you can remix those two works. Where you see a black X, you cannot remix those two CC licensed works.

CC License Compatibility Chart / CC BY 4.0

(“5.3 Finding, Evaluating, and Adapting Resources, by Creative Commons, CC BY 4.0)

OER Evaluation, Selection, and Licensing Guide – Faculty eCommons